I have been wanting to get rid of my current P3AT .380 summer carry gun. Its been 100% reliable and 7 rounds of buffalo bore .380 isnt anything to sneeze at but I want to switch over to a revolver. I wear shorts most fo the time or occassionally jeans or khakis. I want a pocket gun. I looked at a new S&W 340PD today. I love the super light weight and no IL. 5 rounds of .357 would not leave me wanting anything especially with a backup speed loader. The gun peddler advised strongly against wanting to go this route. He was really pushing either the LCR in .357 or one of the other J frame Smiths in .38+P. He said the 340PD was a bad choice simply because of the punishing recoil. Granted, I have never fired a 340PD but I have owned a .460 S&W and have a slew of .44 mags. It cant be any worse than these bruisers. Yeah, I know its a super light weight gun but its still a 158gr .357 mag. Besides its not a gun I would plink with nor shoot boxes of ammo thru at every outing. In all likelihood, it would be fired a couple rounds per year to stay proficient and blow the pocket lint out and thats it unless it came to a SD situation. I contend in a SD situation with adreneline flowing, I probably would not even notice the recoil. What say you?

You'll be OK with the 340PD. If you have trouble with the 158-gr .357s you can always switch to 145s or 125s - or a bigger grip. The 340 with 125s is not that bad at all. 158s are pretty mean.

You'd be fine w/this light gun and could always go w/a heavy +P round. I can tell you from experience that you will not notice any recoil and most likely will not hear anything (I didn't). If that's what you want go for it.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

You will most likely find any .357 cartridge punishing out of the 340PD. That being said, if you decide to go that route be certain to practice with it and when you are competent, practice some more. If you get into a situation that goes sideways, you will default to your lowest level of training.

I carry a 340PD off-duty during the summer months and have never felt "out-gunned" provided I carry an extra speed-loader and stay aware of my limitations. I carry the Speer Gold Dot 135 JHP .38 Special +P.

When all is said it comes down more to the person as opposed to equipment.....It's not the arrow, it's the Indian.

JM2C.

Joe

I carry the 340pd no il all week. I have shot 2 cylinders of 158gr & it is punishing but the 125 gr cor-bon 357's aren't as bad which is what I carry.

I have a 340pd. I shot one cylinder of 357's in it. Never again. Damn near broke my hand.

I have 13 ounce 360J (scandium/aluminum alloy with steel cylinder) in .38 Special. I hate shooting it (and it's not even a 357). It's not that it hurts, but it is just plain unpleasant and not fun. I prefer carrying my all steel Model 60 with 2 1/8" barrel (loaded with .38 +P -- I have owned that gun since 2008 and have put only 5 magnum rounds through it and that's more than enough to suit me) or my 2 1/2" SP101 in .357.

It's not that I don't shoot magnum loads -- I do, but only in full-sized guns like a 686 or GP100. Now that's fun.

In conclusion, unless weight is a primary concern think about going with steel.

I carry the 340 PD as a New York reload to my M&P 340. I have only shot 38 special ammo through it. Recoil is not bad at all.

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I have the M&P 340, which weighs about two ounces more than the 340PD. I have shot it quite a bit. I currently carry 135 gr. Speer Gold Dot short barrel.357 magnum rounds in it. I have shot the 158 gr full house loads in it, and they are brutal. Mostly practice with 38 +p handloads (my own), loaded into .357 cases. The Speer loads are pricy, at well over a dollar a round, but you won't be shooting many of them, and they are about the best compromise between managble recoil and minimal muzzle flare that you are going to find. I had the opportunity to field test this combination when I first started carrying this revolver. A hunter had wounded a deer on my property (hunting there with my permission), and just as I had returned home, I was getting out of my vehicle, when the badly wounded deer came into view, quartering right in front of me. My guest yelled at me to finish it off if I could, as he was not in a position to fire because of farm buildings. I shot the deer with the little M&P 340, and the Speer 135 gr gold dot load. It stopped the deer, and when my friend dressed it out I was able to recover the spent rounds (2). They had penetrated about 15 inches, and had expanded perfectly, like something fired into ballistic gelatin. They had also both maintained almost all of their original 135 gr weight. I believe that they weighed in at less than a grain less than the original 135. This was phenomenal performance, and I have carried this firearm with great confidence since. By the way, I did not even notice the recoil when I shot that deer, and I'm sure that you would not notice recoil if you were using the firearm in a defensive situation. I have many carry options, as I am a collector, but if I were to only have one gun for carry, this would be an almost ideal mix of weight, caliber, power, accuracy and reliability. I have thought about getting the one that you mentioned, just to add to my collection, but you won't go wrong with either the M&P or the PD in the 340.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Before carrying a gun which I had "only fired a couple of rounds per year to remain proficient," I would want to make sure that I could control the gun and put 5 rounds on an appropriate close-range target, say, a piece of typing paper. The paper approximates the area of the human torso.

I have an early 360Sc from 2001 with titanium cylinder and it is a handful. I respect that you are well-versed in hard-kicking handguns, but the ones your mention have a much bigger grip than does the 360/340 J-frame and weigh 4-5 times as much. I intentionally refrained from firing my 360 for 10 years until this year when I fired some CCI Blazer 158gr JHP .357 rounds in the gun. BTW, I used a shooting glove and Sile rubber grips due to nerve damage in my shooting hand. These rounds were at least controllable for double taps; another poster reported 990fps in a 3" bbl with this load.

Another issue is "crimp jump," where the bullets in the yet-unfired rounds in the cylinder pull out of the cases under recoil. I believe there is still a warning on the bbl not to use magnum ammo with bullets under 120gr in weight. Follow this advice, but some experimenting in avoiding crimp jump is still in order.

A 340Sc as a CCW? Yes, but you should make sure you are able to handle it and a couple of rounds a year will not cut it. Good luck and good shooting!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

The typical .460 S&W and 44 mag nothing compared to the recoil of full power 357 mag loads out of an 11 oz snub nose.

The first day I got my 340PD I loaded the cylinder with 357 mag loads and was done after the 3rd shot. If you want to know what it feels like just hold your hand out and have a friend smack it with a baseball bat. Even with 38+P loads the recoil is more sharp and painful that the recoil of my superblackhawk 44 mag, but it is tolerable.

I carried it in my pocket quite often with 38+Ps. Even though it was very light I found it somewhat annoyingly bulky for pocket carry. I replaced it with a Kahr CM9 and couldn't be happier.

Well, flundertaker, as the last two posters pointed out, full power 158 gr .357 magnum rounds are a pretty stout proposition in an 11 ounce revolver. That's why I think that the 135 gr Speer ( I have no financial interest in the company), designed especially for the short barrel revolvers is a great compromise. They have manageable recoil, and are much more powerful than any .380 acp, and most .38 spls., and most 9mm rounds as well. And in the centennial body style, you are assured a smooth draw from the pocket or under covering clothing because of the lack of an external hammer. Also, there is no worry over the reliability of an auto-loader malfunction to clear. But DEG is right: full power loads are brutal. I honestly thought that I might have broken a bone in my wrist after I fired my first cylinder of full house loads. On the other hand, it might just save your life some day, if you can find the right cartridge to provide maximum power within your ability to tolerate the recoil. Don't forget, what ever firearm you choose, you must practice specifically with that gun. I too have a lot of other handguns, but the one that you actually carry is the one that you need to focus your training on. Not to lecture, but after forty years as a police firearms instructor, I sometimes get carried away.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Load it with some .38+P and call it good!

I have a 340sc and I love it ,very nice to carry . This is not a go to the range target pistol that you shoot 25-50 rounds at targets with. This is a carry pistol and it is great for what it is designed for , self defense ! It is a bear with full power magnum loads but you can load it down for practice and carry it everyday with a good Gold dot load or whatever you feel confident carrying. Odds are you will never need to use it in self defense but if you don't have a pistol with you because it is to heavy or to hard to conceal and you leave it at home why have it. I want a revolver that will do the job and go bang when I pull the trigger and not have a doubt in my mind that my semiauto may not cycle or not pack enough punch.

I've got an m&p its a fine gun. The recoil is aggressive to say the least and I'm a fan of practicing with your carry gun. I carry a 4" 329pd in cooler weather and the little m&p in the summer. I load it with a 158 gr swc at about a 38-44 level. The photo below was shot at 7yds, 35 rounds of my hand load and 5 rounds of some full power 125 gr factory rems shot has fast as I could load and pull the trigger. When I was done there was a small patch of skin missing from the web of my thumb and blood was coming out from under 3 finger nails. Now I limit myself to 3 or 4 cylinders a month. I couldn't imagine protecting my family with a gun that I've only shot a few times a year!

340 PD is my carry piece. 148 gr target loads are punishing I don't actually mind recoil. It's just the nature of the two finger hold.. I carry 38+p but will try mag load soon to see if I want to carry those I will chronograph them and check the flash.

The thing to remember when buying a 340PD is that really it is just another lightweight J-frame that CAN fire .357 - IF you need to. The gun works just fine with any .38 Special you put in it. If you never need to fire .357s and don't, no harm done!

Really, it seems to me 9mm +P would have been a better choice for this gun. I am no great fan of .357 in a gun like this, but I still like the gun. Maybe S&W made it in .357 instead of 9mm because they knew a lot of shooters would be using .38s and there are no commonly available "reduced loads" for 9mm... ?

I carry a 340PD with 158 gr .357mag rounds when I'm in the woods hunting during archery season (private land).

One time I shot a 200+lb. wild hog up close with it, I never felt the recoil because of all of the adrenaline pumping through me.

For everyday carry, I use Speer Gold Dot 130gr. .38 Special +P ammo.

I have replaced the factory grips with the (ERGO Grip) Delta Grip, it takes a bit of getting use to but does help with recoil of the 340PD.

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"Life is short, hunt hard"

A 9mm scandium j-frame sounds interesting. I like the concept of having a small revolver and the idea of ammo commonality with my 9mm Glocks although I'm not at all a fan of being dependent on Moonclips. I wonder if S&W just might consider trying another 9mm J-frame in response to the ruger LCR in 9mm. I'm not sure I'd necessarily be interested, but would still like to see them manufacture one nonetheless.

I know of a judge who carries two of these. Had a miscreant who didn't like the judgement he levied against him. Long story short after the incident he noticed his hand hurt like the dickens.

The mean little bugger broke the bones in his hand during his rapid fire emptying of the cylinder.

FYI.

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Yep. I'm THAT guy. ;)

All great replies, thank you. Lots to consider.

I, generally, am not a fan of +P ammo and have said "get a 357 if you want the power of a magnum" but in this case +P may make sense as its a step down from what the gun is capable of, not a step up. With regards to not shooting it often, thats just the nature of my life right now. I work 60+ hours per week and travel a good bit. Shooting little is better than the alternative of shooting none. I have been a gun owner for almost 30 years and have put a good many rounds down range so I am confident in my abilities to align the sights and squeeze the trigger. Could I and should I get better and practice more? Absolutely.

For the guns who CCW an airweight or other J frame, how do you carry it? What sort of holster? I have used a Nemesis for my small auto in my pocket and like it but am curious what you do for pocket carry on a J frame ?

Thanks again for the spirited discussion.

I would buy a "940PD" in less than the blink of an eye if S&W could make it work and put it out there - preferably without IL, but that would not be a deal-breaker for me. (Actually, they should call it a 942PD, just like the 340 should be called a 342PD, IMO. )

I have no aversion to moonclips in this case and the length of the 9mm case together with the short extractor rod of a 2-inch J-frame is a natural combination. Not so with .357 Magnum.

I am just sitting here waiting for S&W to announce the 940/942PD is available - with or without Titanium cylinder. I would be just fine with stainless steel, as in the M&P340, though I would prefer Titanium if it will work. If it works with .357 pressures I don't see why it wouldn't with 9mm +P. On bring it!

Edit - Sorry for the drift, Flundertaker. There are lots of good pocket holsters for J-frames. I prefer to carry, even the J-frame airweights, on my belt if I can since pocket holsters sometimes leave the loaded gun pointing in a direction you would prefer it didn't. JMHO.

I carry a 642 (16 oz.) in a Galco horsehide pocket holster for almost three years, before that a Uncle Mike's #3 for two years. The UM's is cheap ($10) but works pretty well. Member Snubbyfan makes a good pocket holster that quite a few members report works very well. Mika pocket holsters also seem to get good review's.

I'd suggest the 340 M&P if you have to have .357 J frame mostly for the better factory sight. Although for the price difference and that I'd probably never shoot .357 out of it anyway I vote for a 442 or 642 airweight.

The 340 M&P, in addition to the awesome front sight and deep trench for "rear sight", also has the DLC black coating, which is MUCH tougher than the black paint of the 442.

The 340 M&P also has a full underlug, which protects the ejector rod. And.....if you HAD to use .357 mag.....you can.

Thanks for responding to our posts. As to holsters, I pocket-carry a light J-frame with the Blackhawk (formerly UM) pocket rig, Size #3. I find the square bottom of the rig prevents the gun from printing in that triangular shape that announces that the person is carrying.

IWB: I used to frequent the $1/junk box at our range to pick up IWB suede pouch rigs that other shooters did not like. Love 'em.

OWB: Jim Mernickel in N. Nevada runs a friendly family business (his wife and daughters answer the phones) and produces a wonderful front-tilt belt rig that holds snub Js securely, yet does not impede the draw. Hope all this helps!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Other good points to consider.

I have used the Galco horsehide pocket holster for three or more years now, and love it. It is sized generously enough that it will also accommodate a Colt detective special sized firearm, of which I have several. I like to rotate through some of my collection from time to time. I also have IWB and belt holsters that work with the concealed hammer design of the centennial style smiths. But the pocket carry is my favorite.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Ha!!! I found a 340PD with no lock for sale at a nearby store. Back on July 18, 2015 (above) I said that I was probably eventually going to succumb to the temptation to acquire one. Waiting for it to ship, as the local store is across the state line, and must ship to a WV dealer. Will try it out with various loads, but probably the load I carry in the M&P340, the Speer short barrel .357mag 135gr gold dot load will work in this revolver as well as in the M&P. Will let you know how it works out. This summer I have been carrying a 42 no dash flat latch that has been around the block several times,and still appeals to my nostalgic instincts. Sort of like when I carry a Terrier. My philosophy is sort of like: 'Just because something has real world life and death consequences, doesn't mean that you can't enjoy participating in the activity'. Driving from point A to point B has real life chances to die in a car crash, but that doesn't mean that getting there in a Corvette might not be more fun than getting there in a Yugo. And if I would rather drive the Corvette, it doesn't mean that I take life less seriously than someone in a less fun car!!! Well, that's not a real carefully thought out phiolsophy, but I'll bet most of you understand what I mean. I've been a police firearms instructor since 1977, and I enjoyed every minute I spent shooting and teaching others to shoot. That doesn't mean that I took the responsibility and ultimate seriousness of the endeavor lightly, I just love shooting and collecting firearms.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

This is a valid point, and a big reason for me to go with the 340pd when I had the chance over a second 442. The 340 is the back up to my primary .357, if the primary has a failure at least I can still use the rounds to feed my backup.

My 340pd has the Crimson trace grips on it with the gel pad I think it is the 305grip. I can shoot .357's without a problem, but I usually load it with .38+p for carry. I just don't see the need for .357's in snub. But nice to have the option if needed.

Shorty mentioned MIKA's pocket holsters, his are the only pocket holsters I use. Very thin, but very durable, the big advantage is he makes the holster to fit the gun, and to fit the pocket of the pants. So the holster doesn't roll over in larger pockets. If you do order from him, place the order on line, and expect a phone call within an hour or so, to thank you and ask questions to make sure he makes the holster exactly the way you need it. Can't say enough about Bob Mika and his holsters, first class all the way.

I believe you would do fine with the 340 PD for what you want it for. I use it when I take my walk and am wearing shorts and a t- shirt. As far as the recoil goes it packs quite a wallop. I carry 125 grain Hornady .357 rounds in it. They are lighter on the recoil than the heavier weight bullets. To keep proficient with the gun use 130 grain FMJ .38 specials for practice. In a true S/D situation it will be at very close range and more likely recoil would not be a problem. There are many good pocket holsters available. I found that the "sticky" type works best for me. Hope this helps.

Good luck on your quest.
Take care, R.J.

I am also one of those guys why carries a 340PD (lock removed) on a daily basis. I bought the gun from a guy who fired it with full blown 357s, and put the gun up for sale.

I have never shot this gun with full blown 357s, but I have shot and carried it with Speer 135gr 357s which is a reduced load. Currently I am carrying the Speer 135gr +Ps because the 357s are very hard to find, and I don't want to carry my reloads in this gun. To be honest the reviews and ammo tests I have read have all said the 38+P is just about as effective as the 135gr 357s. I'm 71 years old and can handle this gun just fine up to the Speer 135gr 357s so I feel sure you can also with some practice. I have been shooting J Frames for about 45 years so I'm kind of used to them.

As with any gun I recommend you try one before you make the investment.

I just bought a 360PD and I love it. Yes, it's brutal with .357 but it's totally manageable. I carry the Gold Dot SB .357's. I've been to the range twice with it and I've fired 100 magnum rounds and around 60 .38spl's. I tried 125's, 145's, and 158's and for some reason I find the 158's more manageable, and most accurate. The 135gr Gold Dots are the easiest magnums to shoot out of it, but they're too expensive to practice with regularly.

Gsantarelli1 and shooter1911: I can't say enough in favor of the Speer short Barrel 135gr .357 load. This is a load that I have carried, but more importantly I have actually used it. I am going to paste in a quote from my earlier post on this thread:

"I have the M&P 340, which weighs about two ounces more than the 340PD. I have shot it quite a bit. I currently carry 135 gr. Speer Gold Dot short barrel.357 magnum rounds in it. I have shot the 158 gr full house loads in it, and they are brutal. Mostly practice with 38 +p handloads (my own), loaded into .357 cases. The Speer loads are pricy, at well over a dollar a round, but you won't be shooting many of them, and they are about the best compromise between managble recoil and minimal muzzle flare that you are going to find. I had the opportunity to field test this combination when I first started carrying this revolver. A hunter had wounded a deer on my property (hunting there with my permission), and just as I had returned home, I was getting out of my vehicle, when the badly wounded deer came into view, quartering right in front of me. My guest yelled at me to finish it off if I could, as he was not in a position to fire because of farm buildings. I shot the deer with the little M&P 340, and the Speer 135 gr gold dot load. It stopped the deer, and when my friend dressed it out I was able to recover the spent rounds (2). They had penetrated about 15 inches, and had expanded perfectly, like something fired into ballistic gelatin. They had also both maintained almost all of their original 135 gr weight. I believe that they weighed in at less than a grain less than the original 135. This was phenomenal performance, and I have carried this firearm with great confidence since. By the way, I did not even notice the recoil when I shot that deer, and I'm sure that you would not notice recoil if you were using the firearm in a defensive situation. I have many carry options, as I am a collector, but if I were to only have one gun for carry, this would be an almost ideal mix of weight, caliber, power, accuracy and reliability. "

My point is that this load was actually proven to me in a real life, though non threatening situation, and performed spectacularly! I know that the ammo is expensive. Where I buy retail it is over a dollar a round. BUT... What price can you put on your life. I am currently working on a reload that will match the recoil, bullet weight and point of aim of this round, and when I get there, I will feel confident practicing with that load at much reduced cost, and carry the factory version for EDC. In the meantime, I still practice with my reloads in 38spl, which recoil close and print close. I feel very confident that this is probably the very best compromise in this very light short bbl revolver that one can carry.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

I would recommend the 340M&P instead due to it's superior front sight and rear channel. I have no complaints with mine, although I doubt I will ever shoot .357 out of it. .38 +P for Me.

As big a fan as i am of j-frames, don't get rid of that p3at. you may have times when you want a slimmer gun, or a lighter gun, or just a different gun. If it's been reliable, don't let go of it! I love my J's, but sometimes a little .380 is just the thing. I say keep it and give it a friend in that new 340.

+1^^ I have and carry both my 3AT and 340PD. I only pocket carry and when seated a lot (car or MC) the flatness of the Kel-Tec is much appreciated. When out and about, the 340PD is a great jeans front pocket/cargo shorts gun EXCEPT certain brands of jeans now have shorter front pockets which leave the butt visible with tucked in shirt. The 3AT works in short pocket jeans. JMHO

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Randy
Provenance nerd

Les- That's a great testimonial for 135gr 357s. I would like to see what the 38+P would have done in the same situation. Many "experts" say there is not a lot of difference in the two loads that warrant the extra recoil. I personally did not have an issue with the recoil. I have never found a gel test to compare the two loads.

I have loaded the .357s, but the issue I faced was getting my crimp tight enough to eliminate bullet pull from my 340PD. The factory seems to do a better job of crimping that I do.

To duplicate factory I loaded 7.2gr of Unique that chronographed at 1020fps, which was plenty for me. Speer says to duplicate factory loading use 7.6 gr of Unique. I don't know if you have ever seen the attached date, but it might help you with your load duplication. As soon as I find some .357s I will jump on a box. Great conversation.

http://www.speer-bullets.com/pdf/Rel...A/357_gd04.pdf

shooter1911: thanks for the reloading tips. I will certainly play around with that data a little later. I usually spend a lot of winter days at tha reloading bench. Great way to pass a little time, with the side benefit of generating some inexpensive ammo. Currently I have a few pounds of Unique on the shelves. When powder and primers are cheap, I often lay by a little extra. Prices and availability have improved dramatically from a year or so ago. I am currently waiting delivery of a 340PD no lock to keep my M&P340 company. See if the extra 2 ounces or so lighter weight makes any difference over the stainless cylinder!!! Will post ant results, although it might be awhile before I have time. Thanks again.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

You are more than welcome, and I'm glad I could help, but please do me a favor when you work up loads for your 340PD. Always shoot 4 of the new shells and then look at number 5 and check for bullet pull. The little 340PD is really light, and if you don't use a heavy enough crimp they can lock up your cylinder if you have severe bullet pull. I have never seen bullet pull on the Speer 135gr .357 factory load, but I have on my reloads using the same bullet. It was never bad enough to lock my cylinder, but it's kind of scary. That's why I carry factory .357s only. Good Luck and be safe, and please share your results with us when you get around to testing.

Thanks, shooter1911, I will certainly share anything that I learn. Also apologies to the OP, did not mean to hijack your thread, although most of this material seems to be relevant to the original topic.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

I have a M&P 340. Most magnums rounds in it I found have just too much recoil for me. Remington 110 grains weren't bad but I think your better off in going for the Gold Dots in 135+P instead. With the 340 PD your not supposed to use 110 grain magnums anyway. Holsters, the Galco Conceable is really good for OWB. For IWB Galco has you covered or you can check out El Paso Saddlery. For pocket carry I would go with Desantis. If you haven't bought anything yet I would recommend the M&P over the PD. Sights are really good on the M&P and it doesn't have issues as far as what you use to clean it or ammo restrictions.

Savvy hombre, this dr. K! I'm a firm believer in small guns that can fit in your pocket. If you think you have too many such small guns, you simply don't have enough pockets.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

This goes in my pocket first thing every morning. Occasionally shoot it 15 to 20 rounds, granted it isn't necessarily fun to shoot rather a necessity to stay acquainted.

terry

I have carried either the 340PD or the M&P340 daily for years. I have carried the 340PD since 2005 when I attained it. The load I carry is Speer GoldDot 135-gr for Short-Barrel. I have both .357-mag and the .38-spl +P. Neither one are gonna damage your hands. I find the .357-mag harder to find. I have both Speed-strips and Speed-loaders for them. I pocket-carry now.

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GA Carry member
Vietnam Vet

luangtom, check out the results of the 135gr Speer short barrel .357 round that I posted earlier in this thread. Fired from an M&P340. My EDC, and I have absolute confidence in its performance since the incident that I describe. I agree that it is the most easy recoiling round that I have experienced from one of these lightweight powerhouses.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

I posted this earlier in a pocket carry thread. However, this is my go to carry set-up in the summer when wearing shorts: No lock 340PD with Mika's Pocket holster and S.L. Variant speed loader. Light, clean, fast and reliable. Best pocket carry combo I have found yet.

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Where's my froggy?

Wedgie, I'm not sure what you have wrapped around your grip, but I think I understand why you do it. One thing that I noticed when i first started carrying a M&P 340 was that the grip, although it looked like and felt to the touch like rubber, must have been some sort of thin coating of rubber over a hard core of plastic or something. Two problems with this: a. No reduction in recoil, and b. It starts to wear out from being carried, let alone used. I replaced my grips for a couple of reason, partly to save them in case I ever want to sell the gun, which is unlikely, and because they are not as attractive as checkered walnut or rosewood or other woods. Well, you say, who cares? For one thing, if it's concealed, no one is going to see it anyway, and this is true. I just happened to have an old set of custom exotic grips, and thought I might as well make use of them for my own enjoyment.



My M&P340 with custom Hogue grips made of Pau Ferro wood and Galco Horsehide pocket holster. Not a very good photo, taken with iPad in poor light, but hopefully you get the idea. I carry this quite a bit, but have a 340PD on the way. When it comes in ill be sure to post some shooting results.

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064